VPH Board
Serving Vancouver's Poetry Community
Board members are either elected at VPH’s annual general meeting, or appointed by the board itself as directors-at-large.
Martin Fietkiewicz: Treasurer
Martin Fietkiewicz is a business/systems analyst and cognitive scientist who has a keen interest in the performing arts and community building. Martin is a strong believer in the phrase "dreams take volunteers". He has been a Media Coordinator for the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, and has donated hundreds of hours to the In The House Festival, Vancouver Public Space Network, and the Jade Project.
Nooreen Nathoo: Director-at-Large
Nora (Nooreen) Nathoo is a poet, a photographer and an artist. She was formerly a creative director at several advertising agencies where she worked on national campaigns. Nora recently moved from Montreal where she served as a director with the Throw Poetry Collective and was also on the 2009 slam team.
Duncan Shields: Director-at-Large, International Slammaster
As well as being the International Slam Master, Duncan Shields was the 2010 Haiku Deathmatch and Nerd Slam champion. He’s an enthusiastic supporter of the poetry slam scene in Vancouver. He is also an animator for rockstar games, staff writer for 365tomorrows.com, and one third of the Unknown Origins podcast.
Lisa Slater: President
Lisa Slater got shoved off a cliff by spoken word on a bright cool Ottawa weekend in October in 2004. Since then, she’s made it her mission to introduce other people to this thing she loves and to make them listen to her poetry. Lisa works in the non-profit sector in fund development, marketing and communications.
Ex Officio Members
R. C. Weslowski: Ex Officio member and former President
RC Weslowski is a former president of Vancouver Poetry House (06-08) and a former Vancouver Poetry Slam Slammaster (06-08). RC was the Artistic Director for the 2005 Canadian Festival of Spoken Word, the Publicity Coordinator for the 2007 Individual World Poetry Slam, and the 2008 Canadian Festival of Spoken Word "Poet of Honour.. RC is the founder and lead organizer of the Vancouver Youth Slam.
